The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-05-07
ENcLAND'S DECAY.
Result of the "Let 1t Alone" Policy in
Industrial Affairs.

Inv AVydA OOlnHlSolOH dppOlHtcu w iOPOAs
upon the depression of trade and industry in
Great Britain has completed the work ASST
gned. This commission was appointed by
the British Government to institute an ex-
haustive inquiry into the subject. 1t ad-
dressed Inquiries to all the Chambers Of
Commerce and Trade Associations in Great
Britain, and received replies from seventy
five Of these. 1t called before it as wit
nesses the leading representative iron mon
gers, dealers in textile fabrics, manufactur-
ers, miners, agriculturists and representa-
tlyes Of the laboring classes in that country,
1t received special reports from the British
Consuls in all foreign countries on the state
Of British trade and the trade Of other eoun-
tries there during the past twenty years. In
short it exhausted every source of informa-
tion which the power Of the British Govern
ment could reach.
In a recent address before the Brookline
lMass.) Republican Club, Mr.. David Hall
Rice made this report his subject. He calls
attention at the outset to the fact that the
majority Of the commission were free traders.
men who have been born and educated in
the doctrine" Mr.. Rice says
"Mhat does this Royal Commission state
in relation to the depression Of industry in
Great Britain? 1t states that in the great
industries of iron and steel, OF textile fab
rics and of mining. business is carried on
upon an entirely inadequate margin Of prof
its, and in many eases with no profits at all.
1t states that while the volume of trade has
increased, the value Of the capital invested
in it has seriously deprecated, and that the
total value of British trade upon like quanti-
ties and kinds of goods has seriously dimin-
ished. 1t states that this depression began
L.. OF 1xnfffh eli ltfrhf In.
particular trades, lasting for short period
only, has steadily increased in intensity to
the present time. Ii states that the wages
of the laboring classes as whole have been
diminished by the necessity OF being obliged
to work only partial time, and in some cases
directly, and that even with this reduction,
while capital is earning substantially moth
ing, and labor receives all the profits of in
dustry, the laborer is not too highly paid.
But this Royal Commission goes further,
and gives the causes of this deplorable con-
dition of British trade and industry, and
among those causes it names the protective
duties and bounties of other nations upon
their own industries as one of the leading
ones. 1t declares that these foreign protect
i've duties have not only closed the markets
of the protected nations to British goods,
but that they have also enabled the manufac-
turerS of those nations to compete success
fully in the neutral markets Of the world,
where British trade formerly had practical
monopoly, and that the former supremacy OF
British trade in these neutral markets Is
either gone or seriously Threatened by this
competition of protected industries. 1t de-
clares that even in the British colonies, and
in the markets of Great Britain herself, in
many instances, these foreign protected in
dustries are selling their goods to the practi-
cal exclusion OF products OF British indus
try,
of affairs in Great Britain is stated by the
commission to be even more deplorable than
in manufactures. 1t says that the actual loss
of income and purchasing power among
British agricultuIlsts amounts to the enor-
nous sum Of S207, 900, 900 per annum.
with respect to shipbuilding, 1t says that
it is seriously depressed. The extent of this
depression may be estimated from the testi-
mony of the secretary of the British Boiler
Makers and Iron Shipbuilders' Association,
given before the commission, and undisputed,
He testified that his association, which con-
sists of the skilled workmen engaged in that
business, and extends over all of Great Brit
ain, and at that time June, 1861 about 2S.-
coo members; that of these thirty-three per
cent, or about 5000, were then entirely out of
employment; that during the last two
years the number out Of employment
constantly had been from 1000 to $500,
and on the increase; that those who
were employed of the members during
that time had had an average Of but
four DAYS work per week; and that during
the last two years his association had ex-
pended about SjC0,cc0 out Of its funds to
keep its unemployed industrious and worthy
members out of the wOrkhOuse. He further
testified that he saw no prospect Of relief for
these unemployed citizens, unless the British
government would assist them to emigrate to
other new countries, where they could earn
their daily bread.
'The tables of statistics and replies of
chambers Of commerce appended to the re-
port of this Royal Commission more than
support its statements. Out of seventy-hye
chambers of commerce and trade asS0cla-
tlons-cOvering lall the manufacturing, min
ing and industrial districts Of Great Britain,
and notably such as Manchester, Birming-
ham, Sheffield, Oldham, Macelesield, etc.
81 reported that foreign protective tariffs and
b0unties were principal cause Of the de-
preston of their trade and industry. A
number requested that protective tariffs be
imposed upon articles produced by British
labor and capital as necessary to their relief.
Very few of them expressed any confidence
in free trade for the future, or stated that
there was any future hope of improvement.
The statistical tables appended 10 this re-
port or contained therein more than verify
these statements of the commission. Let me
give you an analysis OF them:
The loss in actual value Of British exports to
protectionist countries (France, Germany, Spain,
Italy, Russia, United States), in ten yeas, estl-
mated from the average of 1904 and 1sSO-s4,
was per annum, sea, ,6C 1000.
The loss in actual value of British exports to all
countries estimated on the same basis during
same time was per annum. S4S, ,6O0,OOO
The loss in prices upon these last exports dur
ing same time, comparing average prices Of same
date, to British free traders account Of protee-
tionStS competition in the market of the world,
reached per annum in the sum OF S455, 100000.
From 1888 to 1885 additional loss In value of
British foreign trade was per annum, S4O0 00O,-
600.
That is the competition OF protectionlst trade in
ten years gives the consumers in the markets OF
the world their goods cheaper by S455, 900 cooper
annum which they buy from British producers.
The percentage of the population o. the United
Kingdom employed In textile industries OF woolen.
flax, ETC., silk and cotton was 234 per cent less in
1881 than in 1871, equal to 1o3, $50 wage-work-
ers.
The percentage Of the population deprived OF
employment in agricultu e between 1871 and
1881 was: In England and Wales, 81 per cent;
In Scotland, 81 per cent, equal TO over 100000
Loss in actual value of crops raised in United
Kingdom from 1878 TO 1883 reached the sum per
Imported into United Kingdom OF food products
from 1878 TO 1888 an increase OF wheat, meat,
butter, &c, &c, TO make up for loss in crops to
supply increased population, an increase per an
mum Of S275, 900
Dimnution of British acreage under crops from
1888 to 1885, additional to above, was 100000
acres.
Diminished British exports from average of
1904 to 1904 were, Der adnum: OF cottons to
all countrses except India. Of linen, jute &C., Of
woolens and worsteds, of silk TO all countries were
valued at 1898, ,095,971
of ns5eass % soa supply sl raw cotton M average
was S3,7 per eeut.
Increased quantity consumed by British manu-
facturers was 52.9 per cent; by manufacturers
of Continental Europe was lO2 per cent; by man
ufacturers of United States was 1906 per Sent.
Increased consumption OF wool, 1876 to 1884,
was per arnum by British manufacturers, 31z
per cent; by manufacturers OF France, Germany
and United States, 40 per cent.
Diminuation Of raw silk from 1870 to 1880 man.
ufactured by British was in value per annum
Slo,573, ,1o3; increase OF same manufactured In
United Stgtes same period, was in value per an-
mum Sl0,722,103
Exports of manufactured woolens average OF
1855 TO 1869 and to 1880 to 1SS4) from the
United Kingdom decreased 43.1 per cent.
Imports OF manufactured w0Olen goods into the
United Kingdom, during same period, estimated
on same basis, increased 2l4.9 per cent, showing
that Britain buys increased quantities of her
eloihing as well as food from Other nations. while